The present invention relates to a detecting structure for a stuffing apparatus for manufacturing a chain of stuffed products, e.g., sausages or the like, by using natural intestine casings or artificial casings, and more particularly to a casing detecting structure.
A conventional chain of sausage products is manufactured by stuffing a material into a casing of an animal intestine such as a sheep intestine or a hog intestine, or an artificial casing such as a cellulose casing or a collagen casing. Meanwhile, since a stuffing apparatus is automatically operated to complete the stuffing into one casing, it is necessary to accurately detect the terminating end of the casing and speedily load a new casing.
A conventional detecting structure is shown in FIG. 12. A stuffing apparatus 1 includes, among others, a stuffing nozzle 3 for feeding a material such as meat into a casing 2; a stuffing pump 4 for feeding the material into the stuffing nozzle 3; a stuffing nozzle rotating means 5 (only a pulley is shown in the drawing) for rotating the stuffing nozzle 3; a braking member 6 which is engaged with the casing 2; and a pincher device 8 for pinching a stuffed casing 7 in which the material has been stuffed. As the material is fed from the stuffing pump 4 into the stuffing nozzle 3, and the casing 2 loaded on the outer periphery of the stuffing nozzle 3 is rotated together with the stuffing nozzle 3 and the braking member 6, the material in the stuffing nozzle 3 is filled into the casing 2, and the casing 7 with the material filled therein is pinched by the pincher device 8.
In addition, a casing pushing member 9 is movably fitted on the stuffing nozzle 3, and this casing pushing member 9 pushes a trailing end portion 2a of the casing 2 toward the pincher device 8 side which is a forward side. Reference numeral 10 denotes a detecting means for detecting a terminating end of the trailing end portion 2a of the casing 2, and when the terminating end of the casing 2 is detected by this detecting means 10, the rotation and the like of the stuffing pump 4, the stuffing nozzle 3, and the braking member 6 are stopped. Subsequently, a new casing 2 is loaded again onto the stuffing nozzle 3, and the operation is resumed, see Japanese Pat. No. 3723656.